Yellowstone National Park Must-Sees and Misses

Yellowstone National Park is, in my opinion, the most unique park within the USA.

Want more US Destinations? Check out Washington, Oregon and California here!

There is nothing quite like it, and that is proven by the fact that over 4 million people visit each year. Like with all parks, there are amazing sights along with some not so great inconveniences. One thing cannot be disputed though: the good outweighs the bad in this wild part of America, and the trip to this park is worth it whether you can only spend a day, or you explore the park for multiple weeks.

Yellowstone National Park Must-Sees

Yellowstone National Park Must-Sees #1: The Beartooth Highway

Located leading into the NorthEast entrance to the park, this stretch of winding road at almost 11,000 feet is a must-see. While not officially part of the park, it is just as wild. There is snow in the Summer, there are very vocal marmots, serene lakes, and not too many cars.

Looking out over the Beartooth Pass

You are driving close to the tops of peaks in an area where you can have a snowball fight in July, making for a very unique drive.

Yellowstone National Park Must-Sees #2: The Wildlife

The most wildlife I have ever seen has been within Yellowstone. On my first trip I was treated to a baby bear in the trees, a sleeping grizzly bear (way off in the distance, thankfully!), and prancing elk. The highlight of this trip was leaving the park at dusk and being surrounded by a passing herd of bison. I have never felt so at the mercy of animals before, as they were larger than our small little Mazda, and there were many of them.

A molting bison

I have also gotten up close and personal (while respecting the recommended distance) with bison crossing the road and standing alongside it. It is especially fun to see them rolling in the dirt to stay cool, or spotting little calves. The Yellowstone herd is the only herd in the USA that has lived since prehistoric times, so it’s quite a special sight to see them.

Baby bear in the forest

Yellowstone National Park Must-Sees #3: The Geothermal Features

Looking for more geothermal features? Check out New Zealand’s White Island

I could write an entire post just on the thermal features in the park, there are that many. From bubbling mud pools to geysers, and from travertine terraces to hot springs, there is no lack of new and exciting things to see in the park.

Otherworldly Mammoth Hot Springs

This is truly what makes the park so unique. There are a handful of places around the world in which you can see geothermal activity, the most popular being Yellowstone, Iceland and North Island New Zealand. Some of my favorites in the park include: West Thumb Geyser Basin, a string of geysers which overlook Yellowstone Lake, Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Springs and Old Faithful.

Old Faithful erupting

Yellowstone National Park Misses

The Crowds

Although the park is over 2 million acres, there are only so many roads. You can almost guarantee that driving through the park will be a slow adventure, and it is only projected to get worse.

Bison are everywhere in the park!

Since my first visit in 2015, the crowds have gotten much worse. During my most recent trip this Summer we lost over an hour and a half of daylight because of bison crossing back and forth. Although that would be expected to cause some delay, the sheer amount of cars that needed to pass meant that the backup went for an unimaginable amount of miles.

One of the many geothermal areas in the park

My advice? Hike as much as you can through the park. The areas around geothermal features and boardwalks tend to be busiest, and there is so much more of the park to see!

Geyser basins are all different colors based on the bacteria

The Limited Season

The fact that Yellowstone is closed during the harsh Winters is one of the factors that leads to such a concentration of people in the Summer months, and it also means that many guests cannot enjoy what Winter in Yellowstone has to offer.

Dusk at Grand Prismatic Spring

One entrance remains open, along with one road, which starts at the North entrance. Other entrances remain accessible by snowmobile, which is a cool option if you want to experience a different season in the park.

Right outside of the Beartooth Pass, in Montana

My advice? Go in the Spring or the Fall. Although you cannot predict with certainty when the park will open or close, going as close to these dates will allow you to experience a side of the park that many guests do not get to see!

One of the many elk we saw

Summer Wildfires

One experience that may skew your view of Yellowstone (literally!) is the wildfires that happen around the park during the Summer months.

West Thumb Geyser Basin pink sunset, thanks to the wildfires

Last year, the smoke was bad enough that the sky was hazy and visibility was reduced. While this is an inconvenience to park visitors, it can also pose a huge safety risk if fires begin within the park. It seems as though more and more wildfires happen each year, so the problem may just get worse. The only upside to this issue is that the hazy sky can make for some pretty beautiful sunsets!

My advice? Check current fires before you visit the park, especially if you are visiting in August (when the climate has significantly dried). This is a website I have used before visiting the park, which offers helpful information in the form of a map you can zoom in and out of.

Little chipmunk on the Beartooth Pass

No matter the inconveniences, Yellowstone National Park must-sees are greater. Each time I have had a different experience, and each time something new takes my breath away.

First off, your pictures are great! Secondly, I have to get to Yellowstone Park. Honestly, during the time I would be able to go (summer) it is just so expensive and crowded. I guess I’ll just have to find a way to go during the spring or fall instead. Thanks for the great post and giving something to ponder for the day. LOL!

The water color of each pool stays pretty consistent, but the pools are all different colors. Also, the bacteria mats that live around the pools change color, and can be anything from green to vibrant orange!!!!

This is such an excellent overview of the park! Yellowstone has always struck me as too crowded to be enjoyable, but your description of the wildlife you saw and other features has me convinced to bump it up the priority list.

It is super helpful to go when it is not so busy. My first trip I went mid June, and each time after that was in August. Because school is not out yet for everyone in June it is substantially less busy!

I get what you mean about crowds in their cars. On the one hand it’s great that so many more people are enjoying the great outdoors in such an iconic destination but on the other hand, that kind of lessens the visiting experience. Your suggestion to go hiking is definitely the way to go where you can feel closer to nature and embrace all that is around you.

I’m actually from Jackson so these photos make me quite homesick (I live in LA now). Aw man, I do like exploring Yellowstone and totally think it’s a place everyone should see, however – go when it’s less packed! Ha! May be really hard for some to do but it’s worth it!

I agree! I think its a totally different experience when you’re not stuck in a line of cars- that just reminds me that no matter how far out of civilization I feel I really am not. I like feeling like I’m one of a few around in a wild place!

I have never been to Yellowstone, unfortunately, but would like to go someday. The scenery is just stunning and beautiful! You have good advice for going in the spring or fall, when there is a little less crowding.

Meet A Truthful Traveler

Hi! I’m Samantha! I’m a Canadian living in Seattle who is always looking ahead to the next adventure. My favourite travel buddies include my husband Adrian and my two furbabies Mason & Olive.

Through my adventures I have realized things hardly ever work out the way I plan them. That is why I started A Truthful Traveler, to share my lessons learned, and to paint a truthful picture of travel and show the beautiful mess that it usually is.

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7 days agoby atruthfultravelerWhat has been your coolest animal encounter while traveling? I've always loved animals, and I tend to get very excited when I see them in the wild . Although I've had many, the encounter on the way to #malignelake in Jasper was special because it was my first time seeing a moose in the wild! Being from Canada, where the moose is one of our unofficial national animals, it was something I had been dreaming of for a long time.

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5 days agoby atruthfultravelerA week from now is the official start of Winter ❄️ . I have a new post up, all about the best Winter destinations in the #CanadianRockies ⛰ (check it out @atruthfultraveler in bio!) . Let’s talk about authenticity for a moment. If you haven’t heard all about the scandal that rocked the travel world this week, I’ll let you read up on it yourself. TLDR: A famous travel blogger charged a lot of money for a course that hundreds

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1 week agoby atruthfultravelerDo you prefer Winter getaways to include snow, or would you rather find a tropical place to stay warm? ❄️ . Perspective is such an interesting thing. When I lived in a colder climate (read: -30 C was the norm by January) I always wanted to escape to warmer places. I visited Cuba and Mexico numerous times during the colder months. Now that I live on the temperate West Coast, I find myself missing the snow. I like the idea

4 days agoby atruthfultravelerSuper messy hair, don’t care, because look at those mountains ⛰ . Have you checked out my #CanadianRockies guide? You can click on the link @atruthfultraveler & see more pictures of snow covered mountains, just in time for Winter! . Super unpopular opinion time: I don’t like traveling while pregnant. In 2018 I visited Australia, New Zealand, Maui, Toronto (twice!), Yukon, & did a few PNW road trips. I was so blessed to see so much of the world, but

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